Top-ranked teams thriving before stretch run

Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - The top teams in The Sports Network FCS
Top 25 have been raising their play for what they hope will turn into
championship seasons.

There was only one loss among Top 10 teams this past Saturday, and that was
the
result of a matchup within the Top 10. Otherwise, the top eight teams won
important conference matchups while No. 9 Fordham was idle.

Seven ranked teams outside the Top 10 fell in their games, however, so there
was plenty of movement there on Monday in the new poll, which continues to be
led by two-time defending national champion North Dakota State.

Four weeks of action remain in the regular season. Eleven conference champions
and 13 at-large selections will advance to this year's expanded 24-team FCS
playoff bracket, which will be announced by the NCAA on Nov. 24.

North Dakota State (8-0) could top that field the way it has been atop the
rankings all season. The Bison blew out Indiana State, 56-10, on Saturday to
take sole possession of first place in the Missouri Valley Football
Conference.

Also winning games to remain atop their conferences were No. 4 McNeese State
(7-1) in the Southland Conference, No. 5 Montana State (6-2) in the Big Sky
and
No. 6 Coastal Carolina (8-0) in the Big South

Towson (8-1) followed running back Terrance West's lead to a 48-32 CAA
Football
win over Richmond and moved up one spot to No. 7, passing Sam Houston State
(6-2), which routed Northwestern State, 44-10, in the Southland.

Fordham (8-0) remained at No. 9 as one of only three unbeaten teams in the
FCS,
while CAA leader Maine (7-1) moved into the 10th spot following a 37-35 win
over Villanova in a key CAA matchup.

Rounding out the rankings were No. 21 Delaware (6-2), which returned after a
three-week absence, No. 22 Lehigh (6-2), No. 23 Tennessee State (7-2) and then
two newcomers, No. 24 Charleston Southern (8-1) and No. 25 Southeastern
Louisiana (6-2).

Charleston Southern, from the Big South, has had only one previous appearance
in the national media poll, when they were ranked No. 24 on Nov. 6, 2006.
Southeastern Louisiana was last ranked No. 25 on Sept. 13, 2004. With the
Lions' addition, the Southland has four teams in the rankings, which ties with
the Big Sky for the second-most teams behind the CAA's five.

Northern Iowa, James Madison and Georgia Southern all fell from the Top 25
after suffering losses.

A panel of sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters,
writers and other dignitaries selects the national poll. In the Top 25 voting,
a first-place vote is worth 25 points, a second-place vote 24 points, all the
way down to one point for a 25th-place vote.

During the regular season, the Top 25 will be released every Monday afternoon,
except for the final weekend, when it will be released Sunday morning, Nov.
24, prior to the selection of the FCS playoff field.

The final Top 25 will be released on the Monday after the FCS championship
game Jan. 4 in Frisco, Texas.